Device for actuating a blind assembly integral to a door window

ABSTRACT

A device for actuating a control system mounted within a window located in one part of a sliding door in order to activate a Venetian blind mounted within the window which is itself provided with a frame leaving a space of a small thickness in front of said window. The device has an actuating element mounted along one side of the frame outside of the window in order to be manually movable up and down so as to actuate from the outside of the window the control system mounted within the window. This actuating element has a thickness identical to or lower to the thickness of the space left in front of the window. Moreover, a handling button is mounted in a retractable way onto the actuating element so as, when it is unfolded, to give a better grip to the actuating piece and therefore facilitate its manual displacement in order to actuate the Venetian blind and, when it is folded back, not to exceed the thickness of the space left in front of the window and thus to allow the part of the door where is located the window to slide against another adjacent part of the same door.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for actuating a control system mounted within a window located in one part of the sliding door in order to actuate a Venetian blind mounted within the window.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

It is well known in the filed which belongs to the present invention to incorporate a Venetian blind within a window forming a closed unit, also called “thermo unit”. By way of non limitative example of such kind of Venetian blind incorporated into a window, reference can be made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,633 issued on Aug. 5, 2003, as well as to the prior art references listed on the cover sheet of this patent.

It is also well-known to install this kind of window incorporating a Venetian blind within a door.

However, the problem that is existing in this particular case is that the device which permits to actuate the store is usually mounted externally of the door, on one side of the frame surrounding the window. The device is then associated to the frame in such a manner as to be guided along the same up and down in order to actuate from outside of the window the control system mounted within the window. When the door is a conventional type, such does not cause any problem. However, when the door is of a sliding type, there exists a major restriction of space because one of the two parts of the sliding door is sliding in front of the other. If the device for actuating the blind assembly is positioned on the part of the door that is located behind, it becomes impossible to move both parts of the door, unless the device be very flat and of very small dimension. In such case, because of the very short space that may exists between the frame surrounding the window and the window itself, it may also become very difficult for a user to properly catch the device with his/her fingers in order to actuate the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device which overcomes the above-mentioned problem that is encountered when one tries to actuate a Venetian blind mounted in a window forming a closed unit that is part of a sliding door.

More particularly, the invention is directed to a device for actuating a control system mounted within a window located in one part of a sliding door in order to activate a Venetian blind mounted within the window which is itself provided with a frame leaving a space of a small thickness in front of the window. The device according to the invention has the advantage of being easy to manipulate while satisfying the very specific restriction due to the small space left to the mechanism for actuating the control system.

As is of common practice, the device according to the invention comprises an actuating element mounted along one side of the frame outside of the window in order to be manually movable up and down along the side of the frame so as to actuate from the outside of the window, the control system mounted within the window.

In accordance with the invention, this device is characterized in that:

-   -   the actuating element has a thickness identical to or lower to         the thickness of the space left in front of the window; and     -   a handling button is mounted in a retractable way onto the         actuating element so as, when it is unfolded, to give a better         grip to the actuating piece and therefore facilitate its manual         displacement in order to actuate the Venetian blind and, when it         is folded back, not to exceed the thickness of the space left in         front of the window and thus to allow the part of the door where         is located the window to slide against another adjacent part of         the same door.

To the Applicant's knowledge, there is no other mechanism presently available on the market which permits the actuation of a Venetian blind integral to a window mounted within the sliding door. The device according to the invention satisfies this need.

The invention and its advantages will be better understood upon reading the following, non restrictive description of a preferred embodiment thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a sliding door including a window provided with a Venetian blind actuated by means of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an horizontal cross-section view of the portion of the sliding door illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 a is a top perspective view of the device according to the invention used for actuating the control system of the sliding door illustrated in the preceding Figures;

FIG. 3 b is a view similar to FIG. 3 a, showing the handling button of the device in an unfolded position;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 3 a; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the device according to the invention as shown in FIGS. 3 a, 3 b and 4.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As shown on FIGS. 1 and 2, the device (1) according to the invention is intended to be used for actuating a control system mounted within a window (3) located within one part (5) of a sliding door (7) in order to actuate a Venetian blind (9) which is also mounted within the window (3). As is of common practice, the device (1) comprises an actuating element (11) which is mounted along one side of the frame (13) externally of the window in order to be manually moved up and down along said side of the frame in order to actuate from the outside of the window the control system mounted within the same.

Inasmuch as the kind of control system that can be mounted within the window is already known per se, it will not be described hereinafter. Indeed, as mentioned hereinabove, the invention essentially lies in a very specific structure of the device (1) that is used for actuating the control system from outside of the window.

As better shown in FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 4 and 5, the actuating element (11) of the device according to the invention is provided with one or more securing legs (15) integral to its structure, which legs fit into a slot provided along the frame (13) of the window in order to act as a guiding means. Once again, this kind of installation of the actuating element of the device (1) is well-known per se (see, by way of non-restrictive example, the prior art mentioned in the preamble of the specification).

Advantageously, the actuating element (11) can also be provided with sliding rollers (17) which are in contact with the window when the element is installed. In addition, the actuating element (11) may be devised in such a manner as to support and/or incorporate at least one magnet for actuating the control system without direct contact with the same from the outside of the window. Once again, such is well known and describes in the prior art.

In fact, as it is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention essentially lies in that the actuating element (11) of the device (1) has a thickness identical or lower than the thickness “E” of the space left by the frame in front of the window (see FIG. 2). The small thickness of the element (11) therefore permits to the other part (21) of the window to move and slide against the part (5) of the same window without hitting the same.

In addition to the very small thickness of the actuating element (11), the device (1) according to the invention also comprises a handling button (23) which is mounted in a retractable way onto the actuating element (11) so as, when it is unfolded as is shown in FIG. 3 b, to give a better grip to the actuating element (11) and therefore facilitate its manual displacement in order to actuate the Venetian blind.

For this purpose, the handling button (23) is mounted by means of pivots (25) directly onto the actuating element (11) opposite to the frame along which the actuating element (11) is moving.

Advantageously, a return spring (27) is provided and mounted under the handling button (23) in order to automatically bring it back in flat position as soon as it is released. It is worth noting here that the handling button (23) in folded back position, extends flat onto the window in the same plane as the piece (11) (see FIGS. 1 and 2 as well as FIGS. 3 a and 4).

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the handling button (23) is provided with two opposite ends (29) each having a recessed shape to allow positioning of the fingers of a user in order to facilitate manual handling.

As it can now be understood, the handling button (23) of the device according to the invention that is attached to the actuating element (11) can be easily left with fingers when a user wants to operate the Venetian blind (9) mounted within the window. Moreover, thanks to the return spring (27), the button (23) is automatically folded back in flat position against the window as soon as it is released, such avoiding any contact and risk of accident when the other part (21) of the sliding door is moved.

In view of the above, it will be understood that the device (1) according to the invention is actually new and offers a great polyvalency whatever be the type and size of the sliding door.

Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the preferred embodiment discloses hereinabove without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A device for actuating a control system mounted within a window located in one part of a sliding door in order to actuate a Venetian blind mounted within the window which is itself provided with a frame leaving a space of a small thickness in front of said window, said device comprising an actuating element mounted along one side of the frame outside of the window in order to be manually movable up and down along said side of the frame so as to actuate from the outside of the window the control system mounted within said window, wherein: the actuating element has a thickness identical to or lower to the thickness of the space left in front of the window; and a handling button is mounted in a retractable way onto the actuating element so as, when it is unfolded, to give a better grip to the actuating piece and therefore facilitate its manual displacement in order to actuate the Venetian blind and, when it is folded back, not to exceed the thickness of the space left in front of the window and thus to allow the part of the door where is located the window to slide against another adjacent part of the same door.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the handling button is pivotably mounted onto the actuating element opposite to the frame along which said actuating element is moved.
 3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a return spring to automatically bring the operating button back in folded position.
 4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the handling button when it is in folded back position, extends flat onto the window in the same plane as the actuating element and said handling button is provided with two opposite ends having a recessed shape to allow positioning of the fingers of a user in order to facilitate manual handling.
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating piece is mounted in a sliding manner onto the one side of the frame by means of at least one securing leg integral to it.
 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: the actuating element is provided with sliding rollers in contact with the window; and said actuating element contains at least one magnet for actuating the control system without direct contact with the same from outside of the window.
 7. The device according to claim 3, wherein the actuating piece is mounted in a sliding manner onto the one side of the frame by means of at least one securing leg integral to it.
 8. The device according to claim 7, wherein: the actuating element is provided with sliding rollers in contact with the window; and said actuating element contains at least one magnet for actuating the control system without direct contact with the same from outside of the window.
 9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the handling button when it is in folded back position, extends flat onto the window in the same plane as the actuating element and said handling button is provided with two opposite ends having a recessed shape to allow positioning of the fingers of a user in order to facilitate manual handling 